The appointment with 20th century Decorative Arts and Design is always full of appeal and attraction. A turnover of over € 1.2 million, a 200% revaluation on estimates and 85% of lots sold testify to the great interest in the masters of Italian design.
A heated competition between online and telephone bidders in all the sessions, records a considerable presence from the United States, followed by France, Germany, England, Holland, Belgium and Austria, with hundreds of participations on unpublished or rare works, such as the armchairs from the “Monofilo” series by Luciano Grassi, Sergio Conti and Marisa Forlani, top lot of the auction sold for €107,100.
Lot 128
Luciano Grassi, Sergio Conti e Marisa Forlani
Six armchairs model "Artigianato" of the series "Monofilo".
Commercializzazione Emilio Paoli, Florence, 1953-55.
Sold € 107,100
The lighting section is always very coveted, as attested by the two monumental 1930s chandeliers by Pietro Chiesa (€ 41,580) and Carlo Scarpa (€ 35,280), the unique "12385 Vela" model lamp by Angelo Lelii (€ 16,380) and the rare "Seki-Han" lamp by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, which on its first appearance at auction fetched € 9,450.
Lot 153
Pietro Chiesa
Large chandelier with brass structure and amber-pink cut crystal glass diffusers.
Execution by Fontana Arte, Milan, 1938ca.
Sold € 41,580
Lot 150
Carlo Scarpa
Large chandelier.
Execution by Venini, Murano, 1936ca.
Sold € 35,280
Lot 152
Angelo Lelii
Pendant lamp model "12385 Vela".
Produced by Arredoluce, Monza, 1951ca.
Sold € 16,380
Lot 67
Afra Scarpa e Tobia Scarpa
Rare ground lamp model "Seky-Han".
Produced by Flos, Nave (Bs), 1963.
Sold € 9,450
Excellent outcome also for the session dedicated to vases, with the sale of the white glazed ceramic model with two black bands by Ettore Sottsass (€ 25,200) and the exceptional parade vase by Galileo Chini (€ 25,200).
Outstanding results were, as expected, fetched by the beautiful group of "Africa" chairs, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto (€ 25,200), as well as by the eight one-of-a-kind chairs by Fausto Bontempi (€ 18,900), the ironic buffet of the "Nobody's Perfect" by Gaetano Pesce (€17,640) and the "Mobili nella Valle" series table by Mario Ceroli (€ 9,450).
Lot 7
Ettore Sottsass
White glazed ceramic vase with two black bands.
Probably execution by Bitossi 1958.
Sold € 25,200
Lot 26
Galileo Chini
"Ad multos annos" Large "special" vase.
Manufacture of L'Arte della Ceramica, Florence, 1898-1902.
Sold € 25,200
Lot 68
Afra Scarpa e Tobia Scarpa
Eight chairs model "Africa" of the series "Artona".
Produced by Maxalto, Italy, 1970s.
Sold € 25,200
Lot 455
Fausto Bontempi
Eight high-back chairs. Unique custom pieces.
Execution by Sandrini Francesco, Brescia, 1961.
Sold € 18,900
Lot 93
Gaetano Pesce
Buffet of the series "Nobody's Perfect".
Produced by ZeroDisegno, Italy, 2005.
Sold € 17,640
Lot 86
Mario Ceroli
Organic shape coffee table of the series "Mobili nella Valle".
Produced by Poltronova, Florence, 1970s.
Sold € 9,450
As concerns historicized design, remarkable were the group of chairs from the 1920s by Gio Ponti (€ 21,420) and the bar-cabinet designed in 1939 by Osvaldo Borsani (€ 11,340).
Finally, noticeable results also for the "Wiener Secession" furnishings designed by Josef Hoffmann, including the elegant "500/6" model desk (€ 16,380).
Lot 120
Gio Ponti
Six chairs. Unique pieces made for the living room of the Vimercati house in via Domenichino 1.
Execution by Giordano Chiesa, Milan, 1929ca.
Sold € 21,420
Lot 106
Osvaldo Borsani
Bar cabinet, variant of the model "5142".
Execution by Arredamenti Borsani, Varedo, 1939ca.
Sold € 11,340
Lot 43
Josef Hoffmann
Desk model "500/6".
Execution by Jacob & Josef Kohn, Austria, 1906ca.
Sold € 16,380